endlesstwanted

It had been raining for a few days, so Wes had been coming back home by bus instead of using his regular bike route. So far, that day had been the worst, raining non-stop as if welcoming the cold of winter.

Maybe that’s why the stray dog he found right as he stepped into his apartment building had sneaked in, looking for shelter from the rain and the cold. The animal lay on the cold, old floor, tucked in the shadows beneath the stairs, away from the hallway light.

At first Wes thought it was sleeping, seeing as it was laid there, but he approached the animal, realising that it was soaked from the rain and shaking —the hallway wasn’t exactly warm. Reaching out a confident hand, it took him a minute to gain the animal’s trust to let it pet him. She, as West noticed. She was dirty, most likely from living on the streets, and apart from the shock of the rain, she had no visible injuries other than signs of hunger.

“What do you say we go somewhere warmer?” He asked her, gesturing for her to stand.

She wasn’t big, so it was easy for Wes to pick her up, cradling her upstairs until they reached his apartment. He set her down inside, not paying much attention to the clothes on the floor or the papers forgotten on the bed, and talked to her reassuringly, “let’s get you cleaned up first.”

He dropped his backpack somewhere with his wet jacket, and went to the bathroom to get the hot water running. With curiosity, the dog’s eyes followed his movements, and without order, she walked to the bathroom with Wes.

It would be weird, for most, to welcome a random stray dog into your home when you barely have enough for yourself, but for Wes carrying came as naturally as breathing. She reminded him of a dog from his childhood, back when he had just moved in with his first foster family; their neighbour had a puppy that his foster siblings and he came to play with everyday after school, for the two months he had stayed at that house.

This dog looked to be against water at first, so Wes had to undress himself and get into the shower to be able to wash her. With soap he massaged the dog’s fur, and with water he flushed away the coldness of the rain. “You’ll feel so much better after this, I promise,” he repeated a few times, telling her every step to sound comforting.

When they were done, he wrapped her up in a clean towel and carried her to the main room, leaving her by the heater. The dog wiggled her tail and stood up when she saw him leaving, but Wes said “I bet you’re starving,” and if she understood what was going to happen, she laid down in front of the heater, still half-covered with the towel.

After a quick internet search of safe foods for dogs you’re not familiar with, Wes started boiling rice for two and scrambled a few eggs. The smell drifted through the room and reached the dog, who turned her attention to the meal as Wes heard the two pairs of paws coming his way. “What do you think? Rice and eggs are okay for now?”

She barked, jumping on her two front legs with excitement.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He chuckled, and soon he was plating two dishes with their shared dinner.

Wes settled blankets on the floor, not wanting to bring food to the bed but making sure they were safe from the cold surface. He also picked up a few cushions, offering them for the dog to lay on more comfortably. But honestly, her entire focus shifted to the plate of warm food in front of her.

As Wes had his own and slightly seasoned food, she was letting him pet her, and Wes felt happy for the first time in a very long time. He wondered what would happen to the dog after that, not really considering the chance of him taking her in, but for the rest of the night he knew she would be safe.

When she was done both with her food and the bowl of water Wes had prepared for her, he refilled this last one and then moved onto the bed. He needed to go over some notes to prepare for Keating’s class, so he settled into a comfortable position in the bed, bringing an extra blanket for the dog. The animal laid right next to him, laying her head on his thigh and making it impossible for Wes to move for the next hour. He wasn’t going to wake her up for anything in the world.

At some point of the night, he fell asleep, and was only woken up the following morning by Asher knocking on his door. It’s still raining, Wes thought, remembering his friend had offered him a ride to the campus if the weather kept him from biking there.

Wes jumped from the bed, rushing to open the door so Asher would stop making noise. He didn’t want to wake the dog up.

“We’re gonna be late again if you’re not ready in … ten minutes,” Asher said as he entered Wes’ apartment, checking his watch.

“Just let me change and get something quick cooked for her,” Wes said, not paying attention to his words as he rummaged through the clothes on the floor.

“You got a girl somewhere?” Asher questioned him, looking around.

Right on cue, the animal was up on the bed, barking a greeting to Asher.

“You did NOT adopt a dog without telling me, Gibbins!” Asher ran excitedly to her, petting her with a grin on his face as the dog jumped onto his lap.

“I found her last night when I came back,” Wes explained, now dressed up and leaning against the doorframe, watching Asher grin like he’d just been handed a puppy for Christmas —well, technically that wasn’t far from the truth. “She’s not staying, I’ll look for where to take her after class. She’ll need care I just can’t afford,” Wes reminded him, though he realized it was already a losing battle with Asher in the picture.

“Shut up, you’re not giving her in,” Asher replied, utterly smitten, smiling at her like she was his first love

“But it’s true,” Wes argued. “She’ll need a ride to the vet, at least. Maybe she has a family looking for her and just got lost.”

Not paying attention to her, now with the dog in his arms as she licked his face, Asher said “vet’s visit is on me. But if she has no owner, we’ll be keeping her. Have you seen THIS face? Who could say no to this cute face?”

Wes left him talking to the dog, and went to make some quick breakfast. He could hear Asher chatting with her as though they were lifelong friends, and he couldn’t help but crack a small smile —Asher had a way of treating every moment like it was the highlight of his day, and it was as endearing as it was frustrating at times.

Maybe a co-parent is what he needed to be able to keep her after all.